Feank l



(No Model.)

P. L. AKERLEY.

SUSPBNDERS.

No. 385,898. Patented July 10,1888.

W|TN E SE52 7 INVENTOR:

$848M Mia N. PETERS, Fholol-Zlhugnphur. WlL'ningion. D, C.

NITE TATES FRANK L. AKERLEY, OF POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK.

SUSPENDERS.

PECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 385,898, dated July 10, 1888.

Application filed December 30, 1887. Serial No. 259,873. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK L. AKERLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Suspenders; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Hy invention relates to improvements in suspenders in which the braces where they pass over the shoulders of the wearer are provided with what may be described in brief as a bias splice,or,iu more technical language, as an overlap-edge joint of the diagonallybisccted web; and the objects of my improvements are, first, to fit the suspender to the form in such a way as to give freedom and ease to the wearer; and, second, to prevent the usual tendency in the braces to slip off the shoulder, especially when the wearer is without his vest.

I attain these objects by the device illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view showing my suspenderin position from the front. Fig. 2 is a similar rear View of my improvement in position, and Fig. 3 is a plan view showing fuller details of my suspender.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the views.

In the drawings, A represents the usual junction of the braces at the back; B, one of the braces, and C the other, both in front of the bias splice orjointof the webbing; l3 and C, the same, respectively, back of the webbing-joint; I), the single back-strap; E, the buckle for adjusting the length of the backstrap; F, an adjustable cross-strap in front; G, the bias splice or joint; (1, the button on one end of F; a a, the holes in brace B for the insertion of the button a, and Z) the springclip for fastening the other end of strap F to the web 0.

The main feature of my invention is, as indicated, the diagonal joint in the brace on the shoulder, whereby the tendency toward causing the brace to slip off the shoulder is in great part obviated. This, applied to the or diuary form of webbing Suspender, will in almost every instance prevent its slipping from the shoulder; but in cases where it is desired to obviate any possible slipping where one is engaged in work, tending to displace the suspeuder-straps, I have invented, in connection with my main feature of the invention, a further safeguard consisting of a detachable crossstrap,also adjustable both vertically and horizontally,to be worn at pleasure in front,across the chest, as shown in Fig. 1 ofthe drawings. This may be joined in the center by buckle, as shown in Fig. 1, or by button, as shown in Fig. 3, and may be allowed to hang with either end, as shown by dotted line from b in Fig. 1. Clips like I), or buttons like a, may be on either sides or both sides, and the cross-strap may thus be worn lower or higher, according to the cut of the vest in front.

In order to permit of the adjustment of the diagonal joints G to their proper position upon the wearer, I provide in connection therewith a backstrap, D, adjustable in length by the buckle E. These two features of the adjustable and detachable cross strap in front and the adjustable vertical back-strap are serviceable adjuncts of my invention of the diagonaljoints on the shoulder in cases where the occupation of the wearer is especially liable to displace the suspenders and where the size of the wearers differs materially; but, if preferred, the suspenders may be made without the buckle E or the crossstrap F and be made in the man nor of the common cheap suspender, with the exceptions of my bias splice or diagonal joint of the webbing at the shoulder, which will serve in all ordinary cases to keep the sus ponder in place and yet permit the freedom and comfort of movement to the body, which are not to be had in the more complicated socalled shouldcr-l'n'aces now in the market.

\Vhat I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A suspender or pair of suspenders having the shoulder straps formed of webbing or any suitable material bisected diagonally over the shoulders and united edge to edge, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof] affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK L. AKEELEY.

Witnesses:

Sims WoDELL,

CHARLES W. H. ARNOLD. 

